Debbie Mucarsel-Powell
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2019 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 26th district | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Carlos Curbelo |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Giménez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Deborah Mucarsel Gil January 18, 1971 Guayaquil, Ecuador |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Robert Powell |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | |
| Website | Campaign website |
Deborah Mucarsel-Powell (/ˈmuːkɑːrsɛl/ MOO-kar-sell; born January 18, 1971) is an American politician and academic administrator who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 26th congressional district from 2019 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, she represented a district in the southern Miami-Dade County, including Homestead and the Florida Keys.
Mucarsel-Powell was the first Ecuadorian-American and first South American-born immigrant to serve as a member of the U.S. Congress. She was defeated in her 2020 reelection bid by Miami-Dade County mayor Carlos Giménez. As a congresswoman, Mucarsel-Powell voiced support for ousting president Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela and was part of a delegation that met with opposition leader Juan Guaidó when he visited the United States.
Before entering politics, Mucarsel-Powell worked for various nonprofits, including the Hope Center, Zoo Miami Foundation, and the Coral Restoration Foundation. She was the associate vice president for advancement and later an associate dean at the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.
In August 2023, Mucarsel-Powell announced she was running for the United States Senate in 2024 against incumbent Republican Rick Scott. She won the Democratic nomination for the seat on August 20, 2024, but lost to Scott in the general election by over 12 points.